There’s a new manager of public works in town.
Engineering technologist Christopher Wood took over on June 17 from the former foreman, Jordy Bosscha, after 27 years. The position has been renamed to manager of public works.
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Wood comes from Courtenay, in the Comox Valley, where he was the engineering technologist in charge of capital projects.
As manager of public works, Wood supervises the activities of various departments at the Village of Keremeos. These include streets and sanitation, parks and grounds, engineering, utilities and equipment maintenance, as well as purchasing.
“It’s going to be a one-stop, fix all position,” he said.
The 60-year-old has been in the profession for 20 years and said he has extensive experience in the municipal sector.
So far, Wood said he enjoys everything about the job.
“I’m enjoying the community. I’m getting to meet the people in the community and I am looking forward to more of that.”
He said he is eager to address some of the challenges of the position, including figuring out how to stay under budget, which can be difficult in villages with a small tax base.
A project Wood wants to focus on is maintaining the village dikes.
“Just the general maintenance, like not letting vegetation grow up. You’re supposed to keep that all down and the village is working on trying to get that rectified. As well as keep everything up to date.”
Wood isn’t new to the South Okanagan. He spent some of his childhood in Penticton and his father, Ron Wood, was an accountant in Keremeos for almost three decades, before passing away in 2003.
He said he likes working and living in a small town.
“I always liked it in the Okanagan and Similkameen. I like the outdoors and I like being out and enjoy the what’s available in the valley,” he said.